CZECH teenager Linda Fruhvirtova is a rising star on the WTA Tour and has just claimed her first ever WTA 1000 win at the Miami Open. The Czech 16-year-old defeated Danka Kovinic 6-0 6-4 in a stunning win to announce herself. Ranked 279th in the world, the soon-to-be 17-year-old was knocked out in just the first round of qualifying a fortnight ago in the BNP Paribas Open. Fast forward to Miami, and Fruhvirtova was handed a wildcard to avoid qualifying, and drew world number 66, Kovinic.
More than 10 years her senior, Kovinic was predicted to win fairly well, but instead, Fruhvirtova showcase all of her ability in a 6-0 6-4 smashing. Her serve in particularly was remarkably, recording a 71.1 per cent success rate off her first serve, from a 74.5 per cent clip. She also only faced three break points, saving two of them. By comparison, she broke Kovinic five times, three of which came in the first set to take home her first bagel on the WTA Tour.
Previously she reached the Round of 16 in Cleveland last August which was a WTA Tour event, as well as the last eight in Charleston 12 months ago. Aside from toppling an injured Alize Cornet in three sets, Fruhvirtova had not beaten a player inside the Top 100 before. Now that box has been ticked, as the Czech talent – who has largely played on the ITF Tour – reached number two in the Junior World Rankings.
Last year alone, Fruhvirtova showed her ability to win on multiple surfaces, with J1 titles on clay (two) and grass (one), as well as a J2 title on hard court. In her most recent title in Bradenton, she actually beat younger sister Brenda Fruhvirtova – remarkably just 14-years-old and already ranked third in the world for Juniors – when her sister had to retire in the third game.
Though her fledgling career is only new, the Czech teenager is expected to have a bright one, and her victory over a top 100 player so convincingly is a huge positive for her future. She will now take on Belgian 20th seed Elise Mertens for a spot in the Round of 32.
OTHER MIAMI OPEN ROUND OF 128 WOMEN’S RESULTS:
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) defeated Hayley Baptiste (USA) 6-7 6-1 6-1
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (-) defeated Xinyu Wang (CHN) 7-6 6-4
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 4-6 6-2 6-1
Heather Watson (GBR) defeated Arantxa Rus (NED) 6-7 7-5 6-4
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) defeated Rebecca Marino (CAN) 3-6 6-2 6-1
Daria Saville (AUS) defeated Greet Minnen (BEL) 7-5 6-3
Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) defeated Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 4-6 7-6 6-2
Anna Kalinskaya (-) defeated Robin Montgomery (USA) 4-6 6-4 7-6
Ann Li (USA) defeated Mayar Sherif (EGY) 2-6 6-3 6-4
Alison Riske (USA) defeated Jil Teichmann (SUI) 7-6 6-3
Karolina Muchova (CZE) defeated Tereza Martincova (CZE) 7-6 7-6
Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated Astra Sharma (AUS) 6-3 6-4
Anna Bondar (HUN) defeated Caroline Garcia (FRA) 7-5 RET
Vera Zvonareva (-) defeated Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-4 6-1
Kaia Kanepi (EST) defeated Maryna Zanevska (BEL) 6-2 RET
Magda Linette (POL) defeated Qinwen Zheng (CHN) 7-6 6-4
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) defeated Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-1 6-2
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) defeated Natasja Schunk (GER) 4-6 6-3 6-1
Ekaterina Alexandrova (-) defeated Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-1 6-2
Sloane Stephens (USA) defeated Panna Udvardy (HUN) 6-4 6-3
Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) defeated Ana Konjuh (CRO) 6-3 6-4
Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) defeated Ekaterine Gorgodze (GEO) 6-2 3-6 6-3
Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) defeated Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) 7-6 6-2
Lauren Davis (USA) defeated Yue Yuan (CHN) 6-4 6-1
Clara Burel (FRA) defeated Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-3 7-5
Dalma Galfi (HUN) defeated Kristina Kucova (CZE) 6-0 6-0
Shelby Rogers (USA) defeated Amanda Anisimova (USA) 3-6 6-0 6-3
Qiang Wang (CHN) defeated Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 4-6 7-5 6-2
Shuai Zhang (CHN) defeated Clara Tauson (DEN) 6-4 4-6 2-1 RET
Madison Brengle (USA) defeated Alexandra Eala (PHI) 6-2 6-1
Viktorija Golubic (SUI) defeated Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-4 4-6 6-4
Tsitsipas’ triple treat in Monte Carlo
GREEK star Stefanos Tsitsipas has won his third Monte Carlo Masters, getting past fellow clay court talent Casper Ruud in the final. The decider on Court Rainier III lasted 97 minutes, with the 12th seed winning 6-1 6-4 over the eighth seeded Norwegian, adding the 2024 title to his back-to-back 2021-22 trophies. It is an […]
Monte Carlo madness: Top two ousted in semis
CLAY courts can tend to throw up some big results, and that was certainly the case in the semi-final stage of the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters. With the top two in the world, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner heading for a memorable final, many expected the pair to face-off in the decider. The only problem? […]
Djoker quells Demon to reach Monte Carlo semis
WORLD number one Novak Djokovic proved that bit too strong for Australian Alex de Minaur, getting home in a tight two-set match at the Monte Carlo Masters. While just a couple of breaks throughout the course of the match separated the players, Djokovic was able to move to within two victories of a third clean […]
Rune wins Dimitrov slog to reach Monte Carlo quarters
WHEN you had to play your Round of 32 match earlier in the day following rain suspension from the previous day, the last thing you want is an epic struggle, but that was exactly the case for Dane Holger Rune who needed three and half hours to get past Grigor Dimitrov and reach the Monte […]
Pop goes the Rublev, as defending champ ousted by Aussie
AUSSIE Alexei Popyrin caused a massive boilover at the Monte Carlo Masters overnight, defeating top 10 star and defending champion Andrey Rublev to set up an all-Aussie third round match with Alex de Minaur. Popyrin has always shown the potential to be a top-line player, and he put it all together against the sixth seed, […]
Demon dash – Aussie races into second round
TOP-RANKED Australian Alex de Minaur was at his brutal best, making light work of Swiss Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka to reach the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters in a flurry. Needing just 63 minutes against the wildcard, de Minaur won 6-3 6-0, including the last eight games of the match. Wasting no […]
Getting his Fils: Arthur slays Hanfmann
YOUNG Frenchman Arthur Fils wasted no time in destroying his German opponent Yannick Hanfmann and making history in the process at the Monte Carlo Masters overnight. The 19-year-old Frenchman became the youngest male player from his nation to win a match at the event in almost two decades when he wiped his lucky loser opponent […]
Badosa spoils Halep return
SPANISH former world number two Paula Badosa played the role of party pooper against former world number one Simona Halep, with the latter returning to the WTA Tour for the first time in 18 months at the Miami Open. Despite Halep completely dominating the first set, Badosa worked her way back into the contest, and […]
Swiatek storms past Sakkari for Indian Wells title
WORLD number one Iga Swiatek showed no mercy against Greek top 10 talent Maria Sakkari, defeating her comprehensively in the 2024 Indian Wells WTA 1000 final, the second time in three years.The pair met back in 2022 with the result the same, though this time it was even more one-sided with Swiatek trouncing the world […]
